Managing categories


This article describes how to create, modify and delete categories.


Introduction

Click here for an introduction to the basic features of categories.


User permissions are required to manage categories in Mercury Media. Please contact your supervisor if you do not have permission to manage categories and need to make modifications to the category tree.


Category properties

Name

Categories must always be assigned a name. Names can only be used once on the same level.

Email for internal media orders

Use this field to specify the email address to which media orders under the category are to be sent. 

Go to this article for more information on media orders.

This setting can be overridden in sub-categories.


Currency

Cost and prices in media plans, bookings, etc. are in shown the currency selected here. Sub-categories always use the same currency as their parent category unless a different currency has been explicitly selected for a sub-category. 

Saved and calculated costs and prices are not converted into the selected currency. Selecting a currency only means that costs and prices are shown with a specific currency symbol. 

Only the development team can add additional currencies.

This setting can be overridden in sub-categories.


Type

Types define categories as clients, product categories or products.

Typing is used

  • when communicating with campaign participants (publisher, Ad Ops etc.)

  • in reporting tools such as Tableau

Click here for more information on typing categories.


Properties of categories on the highest hierarchical level

Categories on the highest hierarchical level are also referred to as root categories. Root categories have no categories above them, i.e. they cannot inherit properties. Whether or not a root category is categorized as client category, e.g., if it is used for different agencies or locations, depends on the client’s organizational structure in Mercury Media.

Example 1 (root categories are marked bold):

  • Hamburg

    • Client A

    • Client B

  • Munich

    • Client C

  • Vienna

    • Client D

Example 2 (root categories are marked bold):

  • Client A

  • Client B

  • Client C

Example 3 (root categories are marked bold):

  • Agency digital

    • Client A

  • Agency traditional

    • Client A

  • Agency response

    • Client B

The difference between root categories and other categories is that users who create root categories have to specify their category role within the category. This is done to make sure that a user is permitted to manage the new root category.

Please note! You can subsequently delete permissions to manage root categories for all users. Please be careful when managing category roles.


Instructions

Creating sub-categories

  1. Navigate to the category in the category tree to which you want to add a sub-category. 

  2. Click “+Sub-category”.

  3. Define a name for the category.

  4. Type the category if required.

  5. Define the currency that is to be used in the new category. If you do not choose a currency, it will be inherited from the category tree.

  6. Define a standard recipient for internal media orders. If you do not choose a standard recipient, it will be inherited from the category tree.

  7. Click “Create category” to save the category.

Creating root categories

  1. Click the Mercury Media logo at the top of the navigation bar.

  2. Click “+Category”.

  3. Define a name for the category.

  4. Type the category if required.

  5. Select your category role for the new category. Please note! You will be the only user who can access the category once it has been created.

  6. Define the currency that is to be used in the new category.

  7. Define a standard recipient for internal media orders if required (optional). Please note! If you leave this field blank you may not be able to send media offers (unless a valid recipient has been defined in all sub-categories).

  8. Click “Create category” to save the category.

Examples of valid and useful category paths:

  • Client A > Product A

  • Client A > Product B

  • Client B > Product category A > Product A

  • Client B > Product category A > Product sub-category A > Product B

  • Client B > Product category A > Product sub-category B > Product C


Because moving campaigns from one category to another is very time-consuming and can only be done by an administrator, it is very important to define and implement a useful category tree from the very beginning.